WestJet says it will extend its temporary suspension of international sun flights to destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean until June 4. Canadian airlines in January suspended all flights to sun destinations until April 30 at the request of the federal government. WestJet President and CEO Ed Sims said in a release that it made the decision with the clear expectation that as more Canadians are vaccinated, government policy will change. He says guests with affected itineraries will be notified of the cancellations. WestJet says since Nov. 1, 2020, it has been providing refunds for all travellers where WestJet initiated flight cancellations. Sims says WestJet continues to advocate for the replacement of mandatory hotel quarantines with a testing regime that is equitable and consistent with global standards at all points of entry into Canada. “Alongside an accelerated and successful vaccine rollout, this policy transition will support the safe restart of travel and help stimulate the Canadian economy, where one in ten jobs are tourism-related,” he said Tuesday.<br/>
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Virgin Atlantic’s CE is planning for a long-term reduction in business travel, in one of the clearest warnings yet on the hit to this part of the airline industry once the pandemic ends and people can move freely again. The airline expects corporate travel will be 20% lower over the next two years compared with pre-pandemic levels, with questions over whether business class will ever make a complete recovery, Shai Weiss said. “Will business travel return in the same way? No, I don’t think so. But do I think there will be a return to business travel? Absolutely,” he said. Airlines have reported strong demand for leisure trips when borders open and people can travel, but one of the biggest questions facing the industry is how many lucrative corporate clients will be lost forever to remote working and the successful rollout of video conferencing technology. Weiss believes the majority of people are tired of platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams, but said the industry will inevitably take a hit from the changes to the way people work. Jeffrey Goh, CE of Star Alliance, has told the FT he expects up to a third of trips to disappear, but airlines including Lufthansa and Delta have been more bullish over a snapback in demand once the crisis is over.<br/>
Italian start-up regional carrier SkyAlps has agreed to lease a pair of De Havilland Dash 8-400 turboprops from Chorus Aviation Capital. The aircraft are scheduled to be delivered to the Bolzano-based airline in April and May. Chorus has identified the airframes involved as MSN4230 and MSN4237. These aircraft were both originally delivered to UK regional carrier Flybe in January 2009. The airline collapsed in March last year. SkyAlps says it has been established as a subsidiary of renewable energy specialist Fri-El Green Power, and states that it aims to offer domestic services from summer 2021. “Throughout our engagement [Chorus] has demonstrated its expertise in regional aviation matters and its commitment to SkyAlps operations,” says the carrier’s president, Josef Gostner.<br/>
Administrators of collapsed UK regional carrier Flybe are immersed in renewed scrap over the airline’s operating licence, as the transaction to sell the business nears completion. The administrators had already averted a bid last year by the Civil Aviation Authority to revoke the airline’s licence, after the pandemic resulted in amended European legislation and a change to threshold tests for revocation measures. Investors from an entity called Thyme Opco subsequently agreed, in October last year, to acquire the business, its airport slots, brand and other assets. But the administrators state, in an update on progress, that the CAA revived its effort to withdraw the carrier’s operating licence, as well as the route licences, in January. After a panel hearing, they add, the regulator decided on 9 March to revoke the operating licence – prompting the administrators to appeal directly to the UK transport secretary to reverse the decision. The appeal remains in process.<br/>
German leisure carrier Sundair has emerged from its ‘protective shield’ restructuring process after five months of reorganisation. The airline confirms to Cirium that it has successfully exited the proceedings, with a “perfect future set-up”. Sundair began the restructuring process in November after being “seriously affected” by the Covid-19 pandemic. Germany’s protective shield process allows companies to restructure their businesses under the protection of insolvency law. The airline says its fleet currently consists of three Airbus A320s and two A319s. In November, Cirium fleets data showed that Sundair had five A320s – three of which were leased – and two A319s. The A319s are managed by BBAM. LATAM Airlines Brazil managed two of the leased A320s and Aircastle one.<br/>